More like this

Crucial M4 256GB Sata 3 SSD

Life in the fast lane

Peak performance

Despite not being able to see the promised performance on this system, this is still the fastest SSD I’ve had on my test rig, certainly when it comes to 4KB random operations. Perhaps OCZ’s Vertex 3 and its SandForce controller can out do the M4, but when I get one on my desk, I’ll let you know.

While not living up to the claimed spec, it remains exceptionally fast

Verdict

As for this specific 256GB Crucial model, £360 may still be a bit pricey for some but if you’re not a particularly data heavy laptop user or your system can accept some spinning platters for secondary storage, then I’d highly recommend the M4 as your next upgrade. Make sure your system is SATA 6Gb/s capable though, or you won’t see too much of the benefit over the likes of cheaper SATA 3Gb/s drives such as Samsung’s 470 series. ®